


Nowhere or: Yuumei Menagerie

by smutdouble



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:53:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28610145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smutdouble/pseuds/smutdouble
Summary: Yugi's grandpa dies, leaving him an envelope with a strange necklace, a mysterious letter, and the deed to a house in a small desert town. A town with a hidden populace of exotic creatures lurking in the shadows.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a weird bit of inspiration. I was looking for gardening simulators on steam and ran across a game called something like Monster Girl Farm, where you build a farm to convince, well, sexy monster girls to come live on your property. Couple that with just starting to watch a youtuber play Stardew Valley and you get, well, this. 
> 
> I do want to acknowledge that Sitabethel's CYOA: Mansion exists. It wasn't direct inspiration for anything in this story, and I'm using a different category of cryptids (more specific to folklore and legends from the American continents). At the same time, I felt weird not acknowledging the similarities. I use some of the same characters, and I'm turning them into monsters. At the very least, if you like monster romance--and for some reason haven't already--you might want to give that fic a looksee. 
> 
> The rating is only Mature for now, because I haven't decided if I'm going to want to be explicit or not. It might change later.

Yugi dragged his duffel bag down the bus steps with both hands. At the bottom, he turned and grinned at the driver. "Thanks again. Have a..."

The driver grunted, barely checking to make sure his passenger was off the bus before closing the door and pulling away.

Yugi sighed and shrugged it off. If the guy was having a bad day, hopefully it would get better soon.

He surveyed his new surroundings from what was purportedly the only bus stop in town. The bus shrank to a pinpoint as it followed the highway to the desert horizon. The perpendicular roads ran through collections of local shops. Yugi checked the address on his grandpa's letter, and then glanced around again. He didn't see anything that looked like a residential area. There was an off-brand motel a little down the way, and a convenience store with four gas pumps outside. The sight of the convenience store reminded Yugi that he could use a snack refill after being on the road for so long. And it couldn't hurt to buy a couple extra things to get through the night. He didn't know what he would find at the house.

Hoisting his duffle bag onto his shoulder, he trudged across the empty street.

A bell above the door jingled. Coolers full of milk, eggs, beer, and sodas lined the back wall. Four rows of shelves were filled with a few basic groceries. A blonde man perused a rack of dried herbs and spices next to the register.

The brunette woman behind the counter smiled at Yugi. "Welcome to Gardner's, can I help you find anything?"

"Yes, um..." Yugi fumbled with the note as he walked up to the counter. "Do you live around here?"

The brunette laughed. "Everyone lives around here."

"I'm looking for this house." Yugi smoothed the letter out on the table and pointed at the address on the bottom.

"The old farm house?" The woman eyed his bag. "It's a long way, I hope you aren't planning to walk."

Yugi's heart sank a little. He'd seen cars parked in the street. Maybe he could find an uber.

"I'll give you a ride," the blonde man said.

Yugi jumped at his sudden proximity, turning and looking up. Lavender eyes peered down at him. In the shadows cast by the golden bangs, the man's eyes glowed faintly. Just a dim ring around his pupils. But still...

"It's not too far out of your way, is it?" Yugi asked.

"Not at all." The man brushed his hair behind a pierced ear. "I'm literally heading out that way myself. I would be tempting fate if I didn't offer."

Bracelets sparkled on his wrists and teeth sparkled in his smile. His beauty sent a heat to Yugi's cheeks. "Thank you! I really appreciate it. I'm kind of... in the middle of a lot of things right now, and I could use any help I can get." He rubbed the back of his head and smiled brightly. "My name is Yugi."

"Marik." The blonde tilted his chin at the rack of little jars. "I'll finish up here, and then we'll be on our way."

"Of course. Sounds great."

Once Marik turned away and Yugi went to choose his own groceries, the cashier's words floated back through the warm haze. Farm house. Yugi didn't know a lot about the property his grandpa had left him. He'd definitely never heard his grandpa mention anything about owning a farm. Maybe 'farm' was an exaggeration. He fingered the triangular pendant hanging around his neck. There were so many things he hadn't known about the man who single-handedly raised him. He'd hoped he'd find answers at the house, but he was beginning to believe he'd only find more questions.

He took a breath and forced himself to focus on the shelves. After spending two days on a bus eating candy bars and trail mix, real food would have been nice. On the other hand, if the house didn't have any electricity, he shouldn't buy anything perishable. He settled on a few packs of beef jerky, some cereal bars, and some bottled energy drinks. It would get him through the night.

Marik waited for him by the door with his hands in his jacket pockets. He wore a small back pack that fastened diagonally across his chest. Yugi followed him into the parking lot, and hesitated when he realized Marik expected him to get on a motorcycle.

"Are you sure this will fit?" Yugi shrugged one shoulder to indicate his duffel bag.

"Shorten the strap and wear it across your chest," Marik said.

That still didn't sound safe. The bag was heavy and awkward. Even if Marik could balance the bike, Yugi couldn't be sure the weight wouldn't shift and pull him off.

Marik swung one leg over the bike and glanced back at him, smiling that sunny smile. "I've been driving motorcycles for years. Just sit close and hang on."

Being quite a bit shorter, Yugi struggled to clamber up behind him, but Marik held the bike steady. Yugi scooted as close as he dared and wrapped his arms around the man's waist. Though he couldn't see it under the layers of clothing, the man's abdomen and back felt more solid than his slender frame suggested. He smelled like leather, wood, and something Yugi couldn't place. Something musky, but not unpleasant.

The motor cycle roared once and glided out of the parking lot. There wasn't anybody on the road and the only four cross streets didn't even have traffic lights. They built speed as they left the cluster of buildings behind. Yugi ducked further behind Marik's shoulders as the wind stung his cheeks. As the sun descended, it took the heat with it. Another thing Yugi hadn't expected and probably should have planned for...

"Why are you going to the farm house?" Marik suddenly yelled over the wind.

"My grandpa gave it to me."

"I didn't know anyone lived there," Marik said.

"He didn't. Not for as long as I can remember, anyway. I didn't even know it existed until after he died."

"You've never been there yourself."

"No."

Marik lapsed into silence. Yugi couldn't tell if he was thinking or just concentrating on the road. He watched the landscape instead. Strange rock formations towered over clusters of shrubs and stumpy trees. Barren and dry, but far from dead. Speeding through it with nothing between him and the road was a far different than watching it through a bus window.

The motor cycle slowed to a stop as Marik turned onto a wide path made of gravel and packed dirt. A cobblestone fence was the only indicator that the desert had stopped and the property had begun. Yugi slid off the bike, wobbling as he fought gravity for control of the duffel bag. Strange, really. Only now did he notice that it had barely felt like anything while he'd been on the bike. He stopped at the fence to take it all in. The house was a small, single story structure surrounded by weeds and dead trees. There was definitely something that looked like an old barn in the back, though.

Yugi turned to face his new acquaintance. The man sat straddling the bike, staring past Yugi at the house. The strange flash in his eyes was even more apparent in the steadily approaching darkness. As much as Yugi liked to believe people were basically good, that glow triggered a prey animal instinct deep in his brain. The one that saw the eyes of a fox or a wolf shining in the dark and wanted to run. They were totally alone, after all. Nobody besides the woman at the grocery store even knew Yugi was here.

Marik cocked his head when he noticed Yugi staring at him. "Is something wrong?"

"No." Yugi shook head. "I'm tired. Um..." He glanced at the house again. "I do appreciate your help. I wish I could do something to show it."

Marik shrugged. "I drive past here all the time. I'm sure you can think of a way to make it up to me later." He smiled again.

The darkness hid the flush that filled Yugi's cheeks. He hadn't meant for the exchange to sound flirty. He didn't even know the guy. But that smile made him weak in the knees and those eyes made his heart flutter with adrenaline and... "Maybe. Um. Thanks again." He fumbled behind him for the gate and then slipped through it.

Marik waved, and then peeled out, spraying gravel behind him as he disappeared into the fading light. Another weird thing, Yugi noticed. He wasn't using headlights. Yugi shivered. If he hadn't seen Marik interact with the cashier at the grocery store, he might have thought the blonde man was a ghost or something. He'd heard stories of things like that. Ghostly hitchhikers in the middle of some deserted road.

He really needed to sleep. He climbed the front steps and unlocked the front door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, realized I forgot to add TKB to the character tags. I'm wondering if I should also spend some time labeling individual shippings. It's such a big task, maybe I'll just add shipping tags as pairings happen.

The house was dark. Yugi tried the switch on the wall, to no avail. The dim light leaking through the front door showed him the outlines of sheet-covered furniture. He plopped the heavy bag on the floor and pulled out his phone. The white beam of the flashlight illuminated a couch facing a fire place. Yugi searched around the mantel and hearth for matches, but didn't find anything. Searching the kitchen turned up a lot of empty drawers and cupboards. At least there was already a table. Supernatural or not, he didn't want to transport furniture on Marik's motor cycle.

Yugi paused. Was he really thinking so casually about seeing Marik again? About asking him for rides and favors? Marik had seemed nice enough and Yugi had always loved having all the friends he could get. Marik had even been the one who'd implied they'd see each other around. If he was dangerous, he would've shown it by now... Right? Yugi smiled. Yes. A friend already. It was a good sign.

He followed the wall around the kitchen and checked the first door. An empty room with hookups for a washer and drier. Around the corner, he found a bathroom. There wasn't any water in the toilet. Frowning, he tried the sink. Nope, no water. Great. He'd have to call someone about that, too.

The first door in the living room led to a master bedroom. It had a bed frame with a mattress and a second bathroom. This one had a bathtub, which would be nice once he got the water working. And cleaned out the thick layer of dust...

The second room was much more interesting. It had a desk with drawers full of notebooks and mini DV tapes. The tapes were dated and labeled with what seemed to be grid coordinates. Digging around some more, Yugi found a camera bag with a mini DV camera, spare batteries, and a charging cord. The batteries, however, were all dead, and the wall sockets were as useless as the ceiling lights.

Which, he realized, meant he might not have a chance to charge his phone any time soon, either. He checked the battery. After the long road trip, he didn't have much left. He sighed, and then glance around the home office one more time. His curiosity would have to wait until day light.

He shut down his phone and left it on the kitchen counter. There wasn't anything to trip over between him and the couch, anyway. He pulled off the sheet. Then he stood on the front porch to shake the dust loose in the chilly, dry wind.

The stars winked on overhead, one at time. Then ten at a time. Then one hundred. Thousands even. Yugi had never seen so many stars at once. The sand glowed under the moon, and it was much brighter than the house. He wound up eating 'dinner' on the porch, wrapped in the sheet. Cold.

Alone.

The loneliness hit suddenly. He'd never known his parents well enough to miss them. Thinking about them had seemed to cause his grandpa a lot of pain, so Yugi had never asked too many questions. Besides, his grandpa had filled Yugi's life with as much paternal love and attention as he'd ever needed. And now his grandpa was gone. The game shop they had run together was gone. The apartment above the game shop and all of the belongings they'd shared in it were gone. All that remained was a wooden husk full of secrets rotting in the desert sun.

Yugi bit his lip. Tears cut warm trails down his cold cheeks. The sky and the moon and the breathtaking landscape blurred. He was tired. Exhausted, even. At least he didn't have to sleep in a bus seat tonight. Maybe he'd feel better in the morning.

He dragged his duffel bag into the room with the mattress. He bundled himself in a couple layers of pajamas and sweatshirts, spread the sheet out on the bed, and curled up in the middle off it. The empty silence surrounding him didn't bother him for long. He fell asleep almost as soon as he settled in. Thank goodness for small favors.

Consciousness returned to him as a bright, dry haze. He rolled away from the sunny patio doors and worked his tongue in his sticky mouth. The air smelled dusty, and the dustiness stuck in his throat. He opened his eyes and squinted at the shadows dancing on the wall. The sun was already heating his back. Curtains would have to be on his list at some point. Even if no one was likely to be peeping through his windows out here, it might help with insulation.

He stripped off his sweatshirt and wandered into the other room to get another gator aid. He sipped it as he stood in the middle of the living room, seeing the house with new eyes in the light of day. It looked a lot bigger and emptier without the thick shadows. Dustier, too. Motes swirled lazily in the shafts of light. There was something peaceful about it. His gaze wandered across the kitchen to the back door. Eventually his feet followed.

The deck was warm under his bare feet. The lack of shade might be a problem in the summer, but it was a nice contrast to the autumn air. He could see the barn. Most of the paint had worn away and chipped off, but from a distance, at least, the basic structure looked intact. A green house that he hadn't been able to see last night looked much worse. Several panes were cracked, little more than jagged bits hanging in their frames, or missing entirely. There was a water pump between the two structures, though. Yugi followed the crumbling flagstone path through the sand and weeds.

With how old and out of shape everything else was, he expected the pump's handle to resist. It rose and fell smoothly, though, in spite of some squeaking. A gush of water splattered the cracked concrete channel. Yugi cupped some in one hand to inspect it. It looked clear. It smelled minerally. He didn't know if it would be safe to drink, but figured he could at lease use some to wipe the feeling of bus travel off of his body.

A sound in the barn drew his attention. The large door hung open about a foot, perhaps damaged, perhaps too weather warped to fit properly. Otherwise, he might not have heard the fluttering rustle and warble of birds. He peaked through the door and blinked. Chickens? How long had they been here? How were they even still alive? As far as Yugi knew, it had been twenty years since anyone had lived here. But there they were, three chickens pecking around the weedy floor, babbling contentedly amongst themselves.

Yugi forced the door wider, illuminating a heap of dried, stale hay, weeds, and scraps of paper in the back corner of the barn. As the creak of old wood and hinges echoed in the empty space, the figure in the middle of the strange nest moved.

A person. A very pale person. A very pale naked person. The person sat upright quickly, ears rigid and alert...

Ears? Yes, ears. Long, white, rabbit ears emerged from, thick, flowing locks of white hair.

"Oh, goodness!" The humanoid rabbit scrambled into a crouch and raised both hands. "I just found them wandering around. I don't even want to eat them, I just didn't know who they belonged to, and... There are so many predators out there..."

But Yugi could only half-concentrate on his words. The current pose highlighted his... nudity. Yugi tried not to blush or stare as he realized the creature was actually covered from head to toe in a much shorter layer of the same white hair. Forcing his attention upwards, he also realized that what he'd at first mistaken for a couple of sticks stuck in the wild hair weren't sticks at all. They were antlers.

Yugi didn't know what to think. He didn't even know what he was looking at, but he did know that the person looked scared. He opened his mouth and said the first words that popped into his head. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I thought the house was empty."

The humanoid rabbit creature lowered his hands, but he remained in the crouched position. The muscles in his thighs were tight, still ready to bound away if the need arose. "So did I... I wouldn't have intruded if I'd known-"

"It's fine," Yugi said, raising his own hands now. "I only got here yesterday. If anything, I'm sure I'm intruding on you."

The creature's muscles relaxed further.

Yugi almost exhaled relief. He really didn't want the creature to run. On top of all the obvious questions, he was also happy to have company. "My name is Yugi," he said, struggling to find some sense of normalcy in the situation. Besides, it seemed rude to demand a name from the other without supplying his first.

"Ryou." The creature stood, clasped his hands in front of him, and bowed slightly.

Though his hands were human, he had the feet of a rabbit. Yugi glanced around the stuffy barn. "Would you like to come inside the house?" Yugi asked. "I don't have much to offer right now, but you're welcome to eat anything you find."

"The house?" Ryou's ears twitched as he hopped back once. "Inside?" He clutched his hands together at his chest.

The startled hop had almost been too cute. Yugi's heart did a little jump, too. "You can stay out here if you'd rather. I just thought the house might be more comfortable... wouldn't it?" After all, if Ryou lived outside maybe he would be more comfortable outside. On the other hand, he'd apparently decided to live in the barn, so...

Ryou fiddled with his hair and poked at the weeds with his toes. "It's not that. I've..." He glanced sideways at Yugi. "I've never been inside a house before."

Yugi rubbed the back of his head. "It's not much of a house right now. The water and electricity don't even work."

"I see." Ryou cupped his elbows. "That's okay. I'm sure it's a still very nice house. I would love to see it." He smiled.

Yugi returned the smile, and then led him to the deck. Ryou cleared the stairs with a single jump, but he waited for Yugi to catch up at the door. Yugi focused on the door to avoid staring at the tail puff crowning the cleft of Ryou's bottom. As if meeting some sort of mystical creature wasn't flummoxing enough, he had to be a cute mystical creature, too.

Ryou's nose twitched as he crossed the threshold. He ran his hands along the kitchen counter and opened and closed cupboards. Then he hopped across the living room to poke and sniff at the couch. He fidgeted a bit before lowering himself carefully onto the cushions. "This is very nice." He stroked the seat next to him. "Much softer than hay." He looked up. "I don't suppose you have a bed, do you?"

"I have a mattress with a sheet." Yugi shrugged sheepishly.

The shiny, brown eyes widened. "May I try it? I've always wondered what a mattress feels like."

"My house is your house."

"Is it?" Ryou's eyes widened further, if that was at all possible.

Yugi hadn't thought about using the saying literally. When he really considered it, though, a roommate could be nice. He didn't want to spend another night alone. "I think the house is big enough for two people. One of us might have to sleep on the couch, until I can find some more furniture, but I know I wouldn't mind the company. It..." He swallowed a lump in his throat as the loneliness of last night loomed in his memory. "The house is really quiet and empty at night."

"Oh." Ryou's shoulders and ears drooped. "Yes. That makes sense. I get lonely too, sometimes. Except for the chickens."

Yugi sat at the other end of the couch. "There aren't others like you?"

Ryou shook his head. "I haven't seen anyone exactly like me since my father died. Creatures like me don't mesh well with humans." His ears shot up again. "Not you, of course, you've been very nice, but in general, in the past. They don't like sharing their territory or private food sources. Some predators are bold enough to take what they want, anyway, but they're usually killed. And then the weather started changing and everyone started struggling... like my family..." Ryou hugged his knees. "It's a very unpleasant subject. Are you sure you want to talk about it?"

"It's okay. I think I understand." Yugi frowned and tugged at the hem of his shirt. "I guess if we're both alone, it's all the more reason to stick together."

Ryou smiled. Yugi couldn't see his cheeks under his fur, but there was definitely a hint of shyness in the tilt of his head.

"Okay. Warren mates, then," Ryou said. He sat up straight, eyes sparkling with wonder again. "May I see the bed?"

Yugi pointed at the master bedroom. "I need to get some things from town. It might take a while walking. Will you be okay here?"

"I'll be fine. These walls seem very safe." Ryou paused and tugged at his hair. "You be careful, though. Dangerous things come out in the dark."

"I'll be back long before then," Yugi promised. He followed Ryou to the bedroom to find some proper clothes. As he emptied his duffel bag and attempted to organize his belongings, the rabbit crawled onto the mattress. After testing the springiness with his hands and knees, he laughed and flopped onto his back.

"This is going to be so much nicer than sleeping in the barn." He rolled onto his stomach so he could see Yugi properly. "I'm not sure I can thank you enough."

The rabbit's forehead crinkled with thoughtful concern. Yugi realized he might actually be working through a way to thank him. "Your company is enough. I promise," Yugi said. He found his bathroom bag. "Do you know if the water outside is safe?"

"It's very safe. I drink it all the time. That's one of the reasons I made a nest here."

That was good. At least he had a place to brush his teeth, and he could refill his empty bottles. "What do you eat?"

The rabbit kicked his feet in the air behind him and twirled his finger in his hair. "Hm... A lot of different plants, I guess. I don't know what you would call them."

"Is there anything I can get for you while I'm out?"

Ryou crossed his ankles and poked the tips of his fingers together. "If it's not any bother, I do like fruit."

Yugi nodded once, and then returned his attention to his clothes. He hesitated. The rabbit creature seemed to have no concept of bashfulness about nudity. Yugi certainly didn't want to make anything awkward by bringing up the subject. He bit back his own bashfulness and changed quickly.

By the time he finished, Ryou had apparently moved on to investigating the bathroom. He seemed particularly fascinated by the toilet. Yugi watched him remove the lid from the tank and peek inside. He really wanted to hang around and keep talking to his new friend. It was the coolest thing that had happened to him in a long time. There was even a part of him that was afraid Ryou would be gone when he came back.

But, he needed his phone. He needed utilities. Matches would also be nice. He really wanted to get that fireplace going. Perhaps some cups and pans and hot cocoa... Would Ryou like hot cocoa? And a blanket, and fitted sheets, and... Yugi looked down at his duffel bag. He needed to pace himself. He could only haul so much in one trip.

He cleaned his teeth at the water pump, finger-combed his hair until it looked presentable, and then set out with his empty bag on his shoulder.


End file.
